You can learn a whole lot about houses from a Home Inspection. In fact, they’re one of my favorite parts of my job for that very reason. That being said, when it’s a house you’re in the process of purchasing, it can be overwhelming if you don’t know what to expect. Here are the mistakes to avoid:
1. Not working with a trusted and knowledgeable Home Inspector. Buyers should ultimately choose who they work with and feel the most comfortable and confident in. We do have a short-list of vetted and trusted inspectors and can help you make an informed decision.
2. Not attending the inspection, or the findings recap at the end at the very least. Your Home Inspector will go over their overall, most important findings with you immediately following their inspection. They will follow up with a thorough, written report after that you can use as a long-term resource.
3. Following the Home Inspector around during the inspection. There are a TON of nooks and crannies that your Inspector is evaluating in just 3-4 short hours. Let them focus, leave them alone, hang out with your super cool Realtor and be available for questions if they pop up.
4. Being emotionally unprepared for the myriad of things that are likely to come up during the inspection. Inspections are meant to turn over stones and call out every little fix. Your Home Inspector and Realtor can help you prioritize what items are most pressing and which you can work to negotiate with the Seller.
5. Not reading the inspection report. This thing is thick, but it’s a WEALTH of knowledge. My partner and I created a Trello board/home maintenance to-do list from ours so we can prioritize and tackle things over time (reach out if you’d like tips on how to create your own).
Questions? Advice? Let’s chat. Happy to help. 971-371-0203 // kelsey@livingroomre.com // @kcb_portland.